Brønlund's story is deeply moving.

The lights are slowly dimmed in the Hans Lynge Hall in the Kulturhuset, and a heavy silence descends.

It becomes pitch black while the audience tensely looks towards the stage. Out of the darkness, a man wearing polar bear pants steps forward. In his hands he holds a notebook and with concentrated movements he writes diligently.

The diary symbolizes the last words from Jørgen Brønlund - a legacy for his descendants and for Greenland today, which he protected until his tragic death.

The theatre performance is called “Piffissaq Sioqqullugu” and is produced by Teater freezeProductions and Naleraq Lights. The play is a dramatic tale of Jørgen Brønlund’s last journey in Northeast Greenland, where, as a participant in the Denmark Expedition 1906-1908, he became a central figure in an expedition that ended in a tragic death. He was 29 years old.

All the seats in Katuaq’s main hall were filled. People of all ages had gathered to experience the theatre performance. The award-winning actor Klaus Geisler plays the lead role as Jørgen Brønlund - and it was he who also got the idea for the theatre performance.

- Two years ago, we moved to Ilulissat, where I started working as a tourist guide, Klaus Geisler tells AG.

Initially, he only briefly mentioned Jørgen Brønlund and the Denmark expedition to the tourists. But his curiosity grew, and he began to delve into the story. He spoke to the elderly in the retirement home and visited museums to get a deeper insight into Brønlund's life and significance.

- Then I really found out who he was and how remarkable his story is, says Klaus Geisler.

From there, the idea took off, and now the performance has reached all the way to Katuaq's main hall.

Back in the theatre, the story comes alive. The light falls softly over the stage, while the audience follows every movement in silence. Brønlund's last journey is felt in the room.

The work of the lighting designer and sound designer creates an intense and almost magical atmosphere that makes the audience immediately enter the world of 1900s Greenland.

The costumes and the scenography help create a credible image of the time and strengthen the performance's historical expression.

Perfect duo

Artist and actor Kuka Fleischer plays the woman who keeps Brønlund alive while he fights alone against hunger and death. In the play, she evokes memories of adventure, loss and love and gives the performance a dreamy and emotional dimension. And a few giggles along the way.

Klaus Geisler sometimes speaks a slightly broken Greenlandic, but with an extensive script it is understandable. At the same time, Kuka Fleischer's singing voice is not polished or perfect, but it is precisely in the imperfections that the performance's strength lies. It gives the characters humanity and presence.

Klaus Geisler wanted to show that none of us are perfect, and that we all carry something vulnerable that can also contain darkness.

- We are all just people. My dream has been to show Jørgen Brønlund for better and for worse, says Klaus Geisler.

For him, the role of Brønlund has a deeper meaning. While working on the play, he lost his son, and that is why he has chosen to dedicate his performance to him. The grief and love have left their mark on his interpretation and make the role both personal and moving.

- Brønlund's courage and strength remind me of my deceased son. How heroic he is, and how strong he is. When we have our courage, we can also be strong, it means a lot to show it, he says.

Loss and inspiration

At the same time, the fascination with the next generation is felt. Among the audience is a 12-year-old boy who has long been fascinated by Jørgen Brønlund. He has been looking forward to the performance and is following intently from his seat. He laughs and is moved by the performance that has taken hold of him.

After the performance, he excitedly says that he himself will start writing in a notebook - just like Brønlund. He will note the places he visits in nature, for example when he is on a reindeer hunt. For him, Brønlund's story lives on as an inspiration to explore and appreciate nature.

As the lights slowly dim, I sit quietly with a feeling of both loss and inspiration. Jørgen Brønlund's story lives on - in the actors' interpretation, in the stories we tell, and in young people like the 12-year-old boy, who already dreams of writing down his own experiences. The performance reminds us that even in the darkness, courage and curiosity can carry us forward.